The government has approved changes to the regulations for applying the Social Assistance Act. They set clear rules for Easter and Christmas payments, the press office said, BTA reported.
The aid is for people in eight groups who are on social assistance. The first group is people who get one-off, monthly or targeted payments under the Social Assistance Act. The second is people who get heating aid for the current heating season.
The third group is young people aged 18–21 who are leaving residential care and received aid to cover their initial needs.
The other groups are people who get help from the Social Assistance Agency. They are families with children with permanent disabilities, children who cannot claim a survivor's pension after a parent's death, and children placed with relatives, other close people or foster families. War veterans, war invalids and people injured in war are also included.
The payment will not count as income when officials decide if a person can get other benefits. These cover social assistance, family benefits for children, support for people with disabilities and child protection.
Support is also being widened for young people who start living on their own. Until now, aid to cover the cost of the move was for those leaving a social service or an integrated health and social service for residential care. Young people leaving a foster family will now get it too.
The press office said the changes will bring more legal certainty, make sure the rules are applied the same way everywhere, and give people and families who qualify better access to social support.
In March, the labour and social policy committee of the 51st National Assembly backed at first reading a bill to amend and add to the Social Assistance Act. The bill provided for a new payment twice a year, just before Easter and Christmas, described as a "new targeted payment".